No doubt you’ve read at least one story of a well-known smart home product being hacked. Whether it’s a security camera, video doorbell or smart speaker, some manufacturers simply aren’t prioritising privacy and security when designing these products. Some are ludicrously easy to hack (for someone who knows what they’re doing) because the admin password is set to ‘admin’, while others have security vulnerabilities that never get patched. As we install more and more smart devices in our homes, they become a bigger target for hackers....

Like its predecessor, Windows 11 carries out a lot of operations in the background while you use it. Most of these are important to keep things running smoothly, whether it’s delivering notifications or checking for viruses. But by default, Windows 11 also downloads software updates automatically. It means that when you go to turn off your computer, you may be prompted to complete the installation of these updates. However, you might prefer to have more control over which updates are installed, and when these downloads take place....

Find out how to turn off lock screen notifications on a Samsung phone running Android 5.0 Lollipop , or edit the settings to stop sensitive information or message previews from showing up in lock screen notifications. Android 5.0 Lollipop ‘s notifications features let users see a preview of their new emails, text messages, social media alerts and more on the lockscreen. It can be a handy way to help you see whether a notification is important or not without actually unlocking your phone....

Donning a mask has become commonplace around the world amidst the pandemic, and even with the world slowly returning to some semblance of normality, it’s highly likely that masks and social distancing will still be a requirement for some time. The problem is that people wearing masks can’t unlock a Face ID-enabled iPhone, rendering Apple’s impressive facial recognition technology essentially useless – or has it? With the release of iOS 14....

One of the advantages of a Chromebook is that it needs virtually no maintenance. There’s no need to download large system updates on a regular basis, and when you go from one version of ChromeOS to the next you’d hardly notice anything had happened. But, like any computer system, ChromeOS does need updating every now and again to ensure that you’re running the latest iteration – particularly if you’ve left your Chromebook stuffed in a drawer for months or even years....

The webcam market began to dwindle in the past few years, but that has all changed with the uptake in virtual meetings amidst the ongoing pandemic. Now webcams are a vital bit of kit, but besides from being expensive, most are simply sold out – so what can you do instead? If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ve essentially got a high-end webcam, you just need to hook it up to your Mac or PC....

iPhone and iPad owners don’t have to own Macs, as it’s possible to use iCloud on a Windows PC or laptop. Apple provides an app that allows your to automatically upload and store photos, keep documents safe online, and make sure that all contacts, calendars and bookmarks are synced across devices. For more information on setting up and using iCloud on your iOS device read our How to use iCloud guide....

Windows 10 comes with Microsoft’s Edge browser , which is arguably its best yet. But if you prefer the familiarity of Internet Explorer, then you’ll be glad to know that it still comes with every Windows laptop and PC. You just have to know where to look. We show you how to find Internet Explorer and get it up and running on Windows 10. Where is Internet Explorer in Windows 10?...

PayPal is now the recognised payment system for the internet but how does it work and what can you do? This is our guide to PayPal including setting up an account, sending or requesting money, explaining fees and more. Set up a PayPal account We’ll be focussing on the personal account here which allows you do shop online, send or receive money and more. You’ll also be interested in Monzo , the digital bank....

Using your RIM BlackBerry as a tethered modem for your laptop can help avoid pesky hotel, cafe and airport hot spots and save a stack of cash. But in this wireless world, who wants to be “tethered?” Follow these steps to cut the wire and use your BlackBerry as a Bluetooth modem. When you carry a Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry, you’ve got an Internet connection in your pocket wherever you may roam – as long as your travels don’t take you outside cellular coverage....

Extreme E is a brand-new motorsport series involving all-electric 4×4 SUVs racing off-road in locations around the world. The 2021 season kicked the Desert X Prix, on 3 & 4 April in Saudi Arabia. Next up is the Ocean X Prix in Dakar on 29-30 May. There are nine teams with two drivers (see below for details) and thanks to the ‘gender-neutral’ requirement, that means each team has one female and one male driver....

For UK television, accolades don’t come any bigger than the BAFTA TV Awards. We’re all used to spending the next morning arguing about who should have won what, but the really committed will watch the show live. Here is what time the BAFTA TV Awards are on, and how to watch them live from the UK and US. When are the 2023 BAFTA TV Awards? The 2023 BAFTA TV Awards are due to take place on Sunday 14 May 2023 ....

The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) is quite a messy timeline to untangle, especially when you consider that some movies don’t fit into the overall canon. However, if you’re looking to brush up on your DC knowledge ahead of the release of The Flash in June, then watching some of the previous films will help. You may be pleased to hear that this list is nowhere near as sprawling and complicated as the MCU – we also have a guide for watching the Marvel movies in order ....

Until you first come across a YouTube video that’s not available in your country, you probably didn’t realise that region blocking was even a thing. It’s not common, but it’s definitely annoying when there’s something specific you want to see, but find you’re not in the right location to be able to watch it. You’ll probably be faced with a message saying something like “The uploader has not made this video available in your country”....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict HP might not have changed the design of the Envy 13 much for 2019 but generally it didn’t need to as it still looks and feels great. Importantly, this is still an affordable Windows 10 laptop with impressive specs including an Nvidia MX250 graphics cards where many rivals rely on integrated GPUs. We’re also impressed with improvements to the trackpad, screen and battery life....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict Offering great sound quality and active noise cancelling, the Freebuds 3 are good value at current prices. The noise cancelling isn’t effective in all situations though, so read the full review before buying. Best Prices Today: Huawei Freebuds 3 The Freebuds 3 are Huawei’s third-gen true wireless earbuds and the world’s first open-fit versions to have active noise cancelling. Others, such as Sony’s WF-1000XM3 and Apple’s AirPods Pro, use silicone tips for an airtight seal, and so aren’t an open design....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Premium design Attractive display Decent battery life Solid keyboard Great fingerprint sensor Cons Entry model has old processor and smaller battery Disappointing 720p webcam Only one USB-C port Our Verdict The MateBook D 16 offers a lot for its sub-£700 starting price, but you’ll have to put up with an ageing chipset and worse battery life unless you spend an extra £500. That entry-level model still offers everything most people are looking for in a big laptop, though....

At a Glance Our Verdict While the P20 Pro remains a great phone, it is well and truly beat by the P30 Pro in most areas: better performance, better cameras (and better video) mean it’s now the better choice for most people. Best Prices Today: Huawei P30 Pro Although most of the P30 Pro’s specs leaked before it launched, one thing that wasn’t obvious was just how much it was like the Mate 20 Pro ....

Google has dropped its latest line of Pixel phones for 2025, and beyond being the company’s best phones yet, they’re brimming with great features worth taking advantage of. Whether you’re upgrading or switching to Pixel for the first time, here you’ll find a shortlist of handy tips and tricks which will let you get more out of the Android 16 -based experience offered up by the Pixel 10 series ....

The new features of iOS 14 from Apple have one major thing in common: they’ve all been available on Android for quite some time. Unveiled at the WWDC keynote on 22 June, Apple led a press conference detailing all the features of the latest OS update for the iPhone range – which is out now. Key highlights included an updated app library, the ability to customise widgets on the home screen and new accessibility features such as translating software and updates to Apple Maps....